Bolton Museum, Aquarium and Archive

Bolton Museum & Art Gallery's displays chart the story of Bolton and the people who have lived here. The collections on show give a fascinating insight into life in the area. See how people dressed, worked and relaxed or listen to some of the local stories we have collected.

The textile machinery collection is an extremely important one. The museum began collecting textile machines in the 19th century and amongst the 37 items at the heart of this collection is the only surviving example of a spinning mule that was made by the inventor himself, Samuel Crompton of Bolton. The 'mule' was so named because it combined the actions of two other early machines - the water frame and the spinning jenny - which are also represented in the collections.

Items from other related industries include tools from a local iron foundry - when Atlas Forge closed in 1981 it was the last iron works in the world to manufacture wrought iron by the puddling process - and from the leather industry - Walker's Tannery produced drive belts that ran the machinery in most local mills.

There is a small collection of items relating to the transport links which developed as the town grew. There is a fascinating collection of 15 steam-locomotive models manufactured in Bolton and at the Horwich Locomotive works. Other items include local railway signs, canal items and some large horse-drawn vehicles - a four-wheeled dray, a two-wheeled farm cart and a two-wheeled milk float.

The museum also houses a collection of over 3,500 fine art acquisitions, as well as a popular aquarium and Egyptian display.